Warren gets Main Street approval

Monday, November 23, 2009 6:05 PM

Members of the Warren Area Economic Development group met with Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman Friday, Nov. 13, at the Indiana Statehouse to mark the agency’s inclusion in the Indiana Main Street program. Photo provided.

Lieutenant Governor Becky Skillman welcomed the Warren Area Economic Development group and the Huntington Main Street group to the Indiana Main Street program at a ceremony on Friday, Nov. 13, at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis.

Indiana Main Street is administered by the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA). The program provides assistance to participating Indiana cities and towns for economic development efforts in their local downtown and commercial business districts.

"Viable downtowns are crucial to the economic health of our state, and we need strong business districts now more than ever considering the current economic environment," said Lt. Governor Skillman. "The Indiana Main Street program is creating opportunities for revitalization and restoration, as well as encouraging a favorable environment for businesses."

The communities of Warren and Huntington join more than 90 other Indiana Main Street communities dedicated to the revitalization of their downtown communities. Indiana Main Street is founded on a community-driven "Four Point Approach" to downtown development: organization, design, promotion and economic restructuring.

Warren's committee is composed of area business owners, managers and employees that have an interest in seeing the community continue to thrive. They are working with the Warren Area Chamber of Commerce and the town government to bring businesses and shoppers back to downtown. In 2008, new sidewalks, light poles, benches, and flower planters were added to the downtown district.

Attending the ceremony from Warren were Shane Wright, Kevin DeaKyne, Cammy Ackley, Vicki Grim and Sarah Moss.Huntington Main Street is a partnership between the City of Huntington, the Huntington Countywide Department of Community Development, Huntington Chamber of Commerce, Huntington County United Economic Development, Huntington County Tourism, and the downtown business owners. The goals of the group include promoting downtown Huntington as a destination, establishing downtown Huntington as an economically viable marketplace, and rehabilitating the historic buildings located within the downtown district.

Skillman was in Huntington Thursday, Nov. 12, for a ribbon cutting ceremony marking Huntington's inclusion in the program

Complete caption: Members of the Warren Area Economic Development group met with Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman Friday, Nov. 13, at the Indiana Statehouse to mark the agency's inclusion in the Indiana Main Street program. Pictured are (from left) Shane Wright, Kevin DeaKyne, Skillman, Cammy Ackley, Vicki Grim and Sarah Moss.